Ed was not happy. He was very unhappy to borderline frustrated. He had gone over 15 years without Alchemy. The one thing that brought out his old talent was his self preservation. Ranma blew up a 350 pound chunk of granite and limestone with an unknown energy. He could identify things down to their trace elements. He could even Identify the various types of energy and wither they were dangerous. Ranma was saturated in the energy and he did not want to become target practice. "Ranma, I am seriously a little wigged out at the moment. I think we should save that talk for later. I promise I'll explain it all."

Winry looked at Ed after Ranma and Kasumi went inside, "They are like us all those years ago. Think we should do something?"

Ed ran his fingers through his hair, "I would move to help them, but what can we do? No court would take a kid, especially at his age, and give him to his Automail mechanic. As much as I would love to have Ranma stay with us he wouldn't. He said he didn't want his problems to find him here. Let's face facts Winry; Ranma cares to much to put us remotely in harms way."

Winry looked to the house sadly, "Put us in danger? We lived through a few impossible situations. The Red Water was the worst. You thought we were going to die,"

"But then Al told me to make a really big fake stone then the two of us ended up here. I never wanted to see that damn door ever again."

Winry shuddered, "Don't remind me."

Ed looked up at the sky, "We haven't aged a day since then. I still look fifteen. Winry, I was wondering, Ranma has been around and might know a way home for us."

Winry looked back at Ed with a tired look, "I don't know, and I don't care either. Here we don't have to worry about the Military."

Ed pulled her close as they walked into the house. Ed admitted he did not miss the military; he only missed Al and granny.

Back in Nerima, Soun and Genma were at their usual Shogi and sake drinking. Genma was distracted; Tendo seems to have something against people with Automail. This could pose a problem. Damn, That Neko-ken was a bad idea. That blond witch has a good right hook though, especially when she has that WRENCH! "Say Tendo, I don't mean to pry but what is your problem with automail people? Didn't SHE have a leg replaced?"

Tendo looked outside, "Yes, but the person who made it was inexperienced and the connection became infected. It was a horrid infection that killed her. A few years later a man with false arms came and challenged the Dojo. His arms were enhanced to grant a serious boost in strength. I trashed his arms, he then sue me for it!"

Genma frowned, "Tendo, Not all people who have them are like that idiot."

Soun looked at the board and to his surprised nothing had been moved. "I suppose, but what is with the sudden interest Genma?"

The panda man let out a sigh, "Tendo old friend, I'm afraid that Ranma was severely injured due to the Neko Ken. He lost his Right arm and left leg to a larger cat I found. My haste to make Ranma a better martial artist nearly cost him his life. While in the haze of the technique, he ran to a home owned by an Automail Specialist. She just gave him a set. The guide at Jusenkyo knew a bit of illusions and hid the arm from normal view."

Soun looked incredulously, "More secrets old friend?"

Genma shook his head, "Ranma made me promise not to speak of it to anyone. He demonstrated his pressure point knowledge to convince me. He can cause a whole lot of pain while little effort."

Both fathers shuddered. Ranma could be down right terrifying when his temper reached the surface. Genma knew Ranma had a long fuse and a sort but nuclear temper. The angry pigtailed god slayer was, in their opinion, more frightening than their master. The one thing that saved them was the fact that Ranma could never truly hold a grudge to anyone. A fact that Genma thanked god for.

Kasumi's mind was at war with the rest of her. She was having more fun on a lazy sunny afternoon with Ranma and the Elrics than anytime in the recent past. She had to admit that Ranma was young but he was anything but boring. He is probably the only guy that can actually see the real me. The only things keeping me from even trying are Akane and Shampoo. I have little to fear from the chef. I refuse to try and tussle with the Amazons .I also do not want to listen to Akane's spoiled whining and interruptions to my fun. My Fun? Where did that come from?

As Kasumi struggled with her suppressed emotions and rampant imagination; Ranma wondered why she was blushing. She noticed she had Ranma's undivided attention, "Ranma, when should we head back?"

Ranma slumped against the wall, "I would love to say that we're not. Unfortunately The fools will sic Nabiki on the trail the moment Akane tries to cook. Then EVERYONE will come and then Ed and Winry might get caught in the cross fire,"

"And we would welcome it if it meant we could keep you away from those despicable people. We've told you every time that if you wanted to stay, you could. Kasumi will be Winry's apprentice so she will be staying here,"

Ranma turned to Ed, "I know," he whispered, "But I don't to put you two into situations were you could lose your lives. I really appreciate it, but,"

With a resounding sound of a wrench striking Ranma's skull, he was silenced. "We're glad you're greatful. You are staying, and that is final. WE will go to Nerima to get your things, then return here, GOT IT?"

Ranma nodded for fear of the wrench.

No alchemy for Ranma. Kasumi will get Ranma. Thaknk you Tsunami-Saotome, ss4-link, goku90504, Innortal, and Vampwriter.